A “HetNet” typically denotes use of multiple types of access nodes in a wireless network. For example, a wide area network (“WAN”) may employ macrocells, picocells, and femtocells to offer wireless coverage in a wide variety of coverage zones, ranging from outdoors to inside buildings to underground areas. A HetNet provides complex interoperation among macrocell, small cell, and WiFi network elements to provide a wide network of coverage, with handoff capability between the network elements. A HetNet is multi-technology, multi-domain, multi-spectrum, multi operator, and multi-vendor.
Architecturally, a HetNet may be viewed as including conventional macro radio access network (“RAN”) functions, RAN transport capability, small cells, and Wi-Fi functionality, all of which are increasingly being virtualized and delivered in a networking environment in which the extent of control includes data center resources associated with compute, networking, and storage.